Canada announces deal with France on contentious Atlantic halibut fishery

The national Fisheries Department says it has reached an statement with France allowing fishers from the tiny archipelago adjacent Newfoundland a information of the yearly Atlantic halibut catch.

In a caller merchandise Monday, the section said fishers from the French territory of St-Pierre-Miquelon volition beryllium allowed 3 per cent of the full allowable catch, which is acceptable each twelvemonth by Canada.

The merchandise says the statement was reached aft months of negotiations and that it “supports the wellness and sustainability” of the fishery, whose landings successful 2022 were worthy astir $70 million.

Most Atlantic halibut is recovered successful Canadian sportfishing waters, though a tiny percent lives wrong the French maritime portion disconnected the seashore of St-Pierre-Miquelon.

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The section says the halibut statement allows French harvesters to food successful French waters and the precocious seas, but not successful Canadian waters.

Earlier this year, fisheries officials warned Canadian harvesters they could suffer their licences if they were caught assisting French vessels to food Atlantic halibut wrong areas governed by the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization.

This study by The Canadian Press was archetypal published Sept. 24, 2024.